Germany’s Therme Erding Gets New Owner
Photo: Courtesy of Therme Erding
(eap) Therme Erding, which was previously owned by entrepreneur Jörg Wund and only recently celebrated its 25th anniversary (see EAP News of 11th Oct 2024), has been sold. The “largest thermal spa in the world” and its approximately 1,200 employees will be transferred to the portfolio of the internationally active Therme Group.
The Therme Erding was built in 1999 and further developed by architect Jörg Wund – together with his father Josef Wund, who died in a plane crash in 2017. Today, the approximately 180,000 square meter facility – which also includes the Hotel Victory with 400 beds – offers a total of 40 pools, 35 saunas and the “Galaxy” slide world with numerous large water slides. In 2023, the thermal spa, which is one of Germany’s best-known leisure and tourist attractions, welcomed around 1.9 million visitors.
Therme Group, which already operates the very successful Therme Bucharest in Europe and is currently also developing a new destination in Toronto (Canada), has the intention to invest further in the location as the new owner of Therme Erding. The founder and CEO of the Therme Group, Dr. Robert Hanea, is pleased with the acquisition and expresses his thanks to the Mayor of Erding, Maximilian Gotz, in particular: “The integration into the Therme Group is a natural transition that will give Therme Erding access to our global platform, management and technology. This means that Erding can continue to offer a thermal spa experience of the highest standard worldwide. The city of Erding and Mr. Gotz in particular have provided us with exemplary support throughout the entire process and promoted our project,” says Hanea.
Jörg Wund, who remains the owner of the Therme Bad Wörishofen in the German Unterallgäu region, also appreciates the entrepreneur and his successes: “In Therme Group, we have found an established partner who shares my entrepreneurial vision. With this collaboration, we can ensure the long-term success of Therme Erding and its employees.”
For the employees, whose many years of experience form the foundation for the future, the setting will remain the same: the previous managing directors Marcus Maier and Bernhard Margraf will take over the new management. “With Dr. Hanea and the Therme Group, we have a very innovative new owner. This gives us, and the employees in particular, a very positive outlook for the future,” Maier told EAP.
Therme Group also has a strategic partnership with the Thermengruppe Josef Wund, which unites Badeparadies Schwarzwald, Thermen & Badewelt Sinsheim and Therme Euskirchen under one roof. The Thermengruppe Josef Wund and the Therme Group are currently also working together on the development of the new mega thermal spa in Bad Vilbel (near Frankfurt am Main) (see EAP-News of 14th June 2024). ■
